Find a Prescreened Addiction Treatment Center

The Role of God in Healing Drug Addiction

Religion, spirituality and God are very personal subjects that many are afraid to talk about because they often result in arguments amongst even the best of friends. However, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and even many drug rehab facilities and addiction treatment centers discuss the role of a “higher power” when it comes to healing drug addiction and alcoholism. They use and discuss the abstract concept of “powerlessness” which ultimately means that men and women suffering from the disease of addiction have no control over their disease and they need something or someone bigger than themselves to heal them or at least stop them from using drugs and alcohol. This is where the concept of “God” is usually discussed or at least thought about. Do you believe in God? Who or what is your higher power? Perhaps God doesn’t come to mind at all. Many have been told that if they don’t believe in God they can even look to a doorknob for strength to help them through and consider that to be their “higher power”? Does that have any merit to you or is that a bunch of silly bologna? This article touches on “God” as it relates to healing substance use disorder.

Is Alcoholics Anonymous and/or Narcotics Anonymous a Religious Group?

Those who attend either AA or NA will probably tell you that they’ve heard they are not religious, support groups. However, both AA and NA yield to a “higher power” for both help and strength and believe that they couldn’t do it without. Yet, the chair person and main speaker are typically very careful not to push their religious views on their members and ask them to find their own “higher power”. At the end of the day however, it seems as if they are pushing towards a belief in God, maybe even a Christian God – namely Jesus Christ. This is not necessarily a bad thing. However, to say they’re not at least partly religious or at least spiritual would be a bit deceiving.

Can God Cure Drug Addiction?

Answers will vary depending on who you ask. Many believe that God has the power to cure anything but often doesn’t. Instead, God (He or She) leaves it up to our own devices to use what God’s already made available to us. This is why this community personally finds the debate about medicine assisted treatment (methadone and Suboxone in particular) silly because many other diseases are treated with medication without any debate, even medication people become dependent on. Thus, while a God anyone believes in typically has the power and authority to cure any disease or condition, many understand that individuals are given freewill and thus, people must use what’s available in the world to stop using drugs and resist the temptations the brain is constantly putting out.

Note: Many may be offended that we added (or She) when referring to God. However, even Christians who study the bible should understand that God is a spirit who possesses both masculine and feminine qualities. God is both and neither male and female and both and neither black and white. Yes, a Christian God is referred to as the heavenly Father in the Bible but there are reasons for this that extend beyond gender roles. Advanced bible study shows that God is both and neither all of the characteristics and qualities we consider to be male and female and multicultural. Since God is the creator and designer of both the world and life, He/She possesses all the qualities necessary to create and fully understand and relate to all genders and races.

Who is God?

God is the “higher power” that’s discussed in meetings and the one everyone is seeking in one way or another. Who God is creates a longing and abstract picture. Some attempt to personalize him and make him a person. A lot of people think of the Christian “heavenly father” as a slightly older man with gray full hair and a beard while others don’t picture him at all and believe he is everything and everywhere. There are many abstract beliefs about God and who he and she is and those who believe in something bigger than themselves are typically happier and live fuller lives. Why? Because they feel safer somehow and governed by a loving creator that they can identify with. Most who believe in a God believe in a loving God and a heaven that they will go to when they did for simply being a good person. Christians believe by faith alone in Jesus Christ and by accepting the Holy Spirit that they will go to heaven. Those who don’t believe tend to be angrier individuals and rebel against their parents. This isn’t always true, but it happens a lot.

Can God Help Heal Drug Addiction?

We’ve already talked about whether or not God can cure addiction. But can God at least help? That depends on the individual. Statistically, those who believe in God and turn to their higher power frequently during their addiction treatment are more likely to make it further or longer in their recovery than those who don’t. Unfortunately, the drug relapse rate is still very high, but many still return back to addiction help and recovery and a faith in God typically helps. Is that because God has heard their prayers and has pulled them out of their addiction? Or is it simply because they believed He was helping and obtained inner strength from their inner belief? That’s for each individual to decide.

Need Addiction Help and Treatment?

Our online community helps men and women suffering from drug and heroin addiction who are sick and tired of being slaves to addiction get the help and treatment they want, need and deserve. For those ready for a chance, fill out our brief treatment contact form. You can also call our drug rehab hotline at 215-857-5151.

Contact Us

If you'd like to ask us a question, please use our contact form. We may choose to publish your question
and our response here. But don't worry. Your identity is safe with us and will not be provided on this website unless you
specifically state otherwise.

Kill the Heroin Epidemic Nationwide ™

We are a community of recovering heroin addicts providing support and recommending the best treatments and clinics to people interested in conquering their addiction.